(Oct 3, 2008) As U.S. President George W. Bush prepares to leaveone of the most controversial presidencies in history, he mightconsider that his legacy begins at least better than that of hisrelatives who participated in 1692 with the Salem Witch Trials,according to a trials researcher.

David Nelson, the owner of the family-history group Bloodlines ofSalem (http://www.bloodlinesofsalem.org/), said on Oct. 3 that thepresident is an 8th great-grandson of Mary Parker who was hangedduring the trials. But, his trials relationship with numerous otherparticipants surprised Nelson more so.

"Because so many trials participants lived in the relativelyunpopulated parts of the Salem area, their descendants are oftensurprised to learn that they're related to several participants whomight have opposed each other during the trials, but whose familiesmarried later," Nelson said. "But, the president is the most relateddescendant I've researched.